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2014-08-09 15:04:03   •   ID: 1179

Bifacial Tools from the Bois Du Rocher Site

Figure 1
These are some small artifacts (the largest is 5 cm long) from the Bois-du-Rocher site (Armorican Massif, Saint-Hélen, Côtes d'Armor). The very large (5 hectars) open air site at the Rance valley  was allready known during the 19th century.

Mortillet wrote: " C’est ainsi que, dans l’atelier éminemment chelléen du Bois du Rocher, on rencontre quelques racloirs et quelques pointes moustériennes en quartzite, comme les coups-de-poing chelléens "

Numerous collections were built during the last 150 years, which give an idea of the typological spectrum of the site, which meets the definition of the “Moustérien à pièces bifaciales dominantes”. In this respect the artifactual spectrum resembles the spectrum of the "Le Bois-l’Abbé at Saint-Julien de la Liègue" site.

There are numerous small bifacial tools, usually bifaces, partial  bifaces and scrapers with bifacial retouche. The bifaces are usually ovalaire or dicoidal. The Levallois technique is nearly absent- although one example of a preferential Levallois core is displayed in this post.

A tiny limace, indicating non-Levallois pattering is also shown in the lower row of the picture. The raw material is Quartzite of mediocre quality, but the results of knapping resemble similar ensembles from the nearby Normandy made of flint. 

The choice of the raw material may be the consequence of a limited availability of good flint / chert during the formation of the site. According to the results of soundings during the 1980ies, the Bois-du-Rocher site is probably dated to the OIS5.

About the Bifacial Mousterian in N/W-Franc see here: 1665 , here: 1250 , here: 1585 , and here: 1077

Provenance: Collection Jan Van der Keulen




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